I Need You
by ChocolateChipCookie31
Summary: AJ Styles falls for the new makeup stylist, Heather Brown, who is being bullied by Natalya. This makes Heather start doing something very dangerous. Can AJ and her friends help her?
1. Meet Heather

Heather Brown just got done fixing Becky Lynch's makeup for the night. She was the new makeup stylist for SmackDown Live. She had only been working here for three weeks, and had made quite a few friends. Becky Lynch was one of them. The two of them had grown very close. Naomi and Carmella were pretty cool to hang out with, too, and so were Charlotte, Lana, and Tamina. The only woman on SmackDown Live who didn't take a shine to her was Natalya. For some reason, Natalya kept bullying her. Not physically, no, but verbally. She kept calling her all sorts of names. Fat, ugly, stupid, annoying, etc.

The words cut deep. Heather's self esteem wasn't high to begin with. She wasn't fat, but she wasn't skinny, either. She also wasn't someone whom you would describe as beautiful on the outside, but on the inside she was beautiful. Heather had long red hair, and blue eyes. She loved her hair, and even Natalya couldn't say anything negative about that.

Speaking of Natayla, her match was up next against Becky, and she walked up to get her makeup done. _"Oh, great,"_ Heather thought.

"Hey, fatso, don't take so long tonight. My match is in five minutes."

"Okay."

Natalya sat down, and luckily, didn't say anything until Heather was done.

"Not bad, fatso."

She got up to head to the ring for her match. All right, that did it. Heather had enough. Starting tomorrow, she was going on a diet. She was going to hit the gym hard, and wasn't going to let this witch bully her anymore. Seriously, enough was enough.

It was her dinner break, and instead of getting something fattening like she usually did, she decided to get a salad and a can of Diet Coke. No dressing on the salad, and she picked off the croutons.

As she sit in the caferteria area eating, AJ Styles walked in. He was going to be in the main event tonight against Baron Corbin. Heather and AJ had expressed pleasantries but weren't friends. They would say hi to each other, and they got along fine, but they didn't really hang out or anything. Plus, Heather figured why would a guy like AJ want to hang out with a girl like her for?

AJ got a bottle of water and walked up to her.

"Hey, Heather, is this seat taken?"

"Oh, um... No, not- not at all."

AJ smiled and sat down. "Thanks. You're a peach. Listen, earlier I overheard the things Natalya said to you. You shouldn't take that."

"I know, it's just- if I were to say anything to her, I'm afraid I would get fired, and I like this job too much. I like the traveling and talking with all of you. Even if I have to take bullying from Natalya, it's worth it."

AJ shook his head. "Look, Heather, I know we haven't talked much, but I like you. I think you're pretty cool, and I don't want to see you get hurt."

Heather was touched by AJ's words. Maybe they would become friends over time. She sure hoped so.

"I'll be okay, AJ. Honest."

"Okay, but if she gives you any more grief, talk to someone, okay?"

"I will."

"Well, I better get going. My match is up next.

AJ got up and left the cafeteria. Heather couldn't help but smile. He was so sincere, and it made her feel good. Oh, well. AJ needn't worry for she was going to change everything. Finishing her dinner, she tossed it in the trash, and then went to pack up for the night.

Meanwhile, in the women's locker room, Becky Lynch and Natalya were arguing. They were still in their wrestling attire from their match earlier.

"Why do you have to be so mean to her, Nattie? She is a very nice girl."

Natalya scoffed.

"Please. If she got any fatter she would look like Mama Grape."

"She's not fat! You really need to stop with all of these fat jokes. First of all, they're not true, and second of all, they're not funny! Why do you hate her so much?"

"She gets on my nerves! Always so polite and such."

"Oh, yes," Becky said, sarcastically, nodding her head, "What a terrible character trait that is."

"Screw you."

Natalya stormed out of the room, leaving Becky seething. Oh, she could not stand the ground that Natalya walked on.

NOTE: I wasn't sure who I was going to pick to be the bully in this story, so I just decided on Natalya. I have nothing against Natalya, for I am sure she's not like that in real life, it's just for my story. I have respect for her and all WWE superstars. :)


	2. A New Diet

Heather just got to the hotel she was staying. As she headed up to her room, she spotted the vending machines. The temptation was too much. She knew she shouldn't. "You're on a diet now, you don't need that stuff." But she couldn't resist. Sighing in defeat, Heather took out some change and put it into the machine. In the candy machine, she got a large bag of M&M's. In the soda machine, she got a bottle of Coca Cola, and decided she would have her snack up in her room.

She was a little nervous at first that she would be on the same floor as Natalya, luckily she wasn't. Heather opened the door with her keycard and walked right on in. It was a nice room. The temperature was set at a nice seventy-two degrees, and it sure felt good, for it was like a hundred outside! She quickly flopped onto the bed and downed her candy and soda like it was nothing. It tasted so good, but once she was finished, she felt guilty. Miserable. Bloated. Tears sprang to her eyes. No wonder Natayla called her names. Wiping her eyes, Heather got up and headed for the bathroom where she planned on taking a shower, brushing her teeth, and going straight to bed.

Heather was a very sensitive girl and Natayla's words really got under her skin, and it was hard to keep her emotions inside when she was hurting. Words hurt just as much if not worse than physical pain. Once Heather was through showering, she put on her pajamas, and started to brush her teeth when an idea came to her mind. Sitting the toothbrush down, Heather quickly pulled her hair back, ran to the toilet, and forced herself to throw up. Yes, this was how she would get that junk out of her system. Throwing up wasn't fun, but hopefully, it would help her to lose weight. Once she was finished, she wiped her face, brushed her teeth, got a drink of water, and headed to bed.

The next morning, Heather woke up at 6:30 a.m., and decided to hit the gym. She didn't have to leave to go to the next town until around noon, anyway. She got up, put on a pair of shorts, a shirt, a pair of Sneakers, ran a brush through her hair, and headed for the gym. The hotel they were all staying at had a nice gym.

She walked inside and found a few stars working out. Not all of them, just a few. Sami Zayn, Charlotte Flair, Baron Corbin, and AJ Styles. They all waved hi to her. She waved back, and got on the treadmill. She figured she would walk on the treadmill for about thirty minutes, and then maybe lift some weights, and then do the eliptical machine. By the time she was finished with that, that would give her enough time to shower real quick to wash off the sweat, get dressed and make it to the airport.

The work out felt really good. The only downside was she didn't have any music to listen to. As Heather looked around, she saw that most of the people there had IPod's or something to listen to. Oh, well. Heather would just concentrate on her goal weight. Right now, she currently weighed 146, which wasn't bad. She was determined, however to get down to at least 125.

AJ Styles, meanwhile, was watching Heather work out. This was the first time he saw her at the gym. Normally, she liked to sleep late. Today, however, was different. He sure hoped it had nothing to do with the mean things Natalya said. If Heather wanted to exercise, that was fine, but she shouldn't do it just because someone made her feel bad. Heather really wasn't bad looking. Drop dead gorgeous? No. But certainly not unattractive. She was cute. Heck, half the locker room thought she was cute. There was absolutely nothing wrong with Heather. She was just fine the way she was.

"Why are you staring at Heather," came the voice of Charlotte.

"What? I'm not."

"Yes, you are. You're practically drooling."

"Shut it."

"Wow, testy."

AJ just shook his head.

"I just hope she's not working out because of that bitch, Nattie."

"Nattie? Did she say something to Heather again?"

"Yeah, I overheard her last night when she was getting makeup done. She kept calling her fatso. When I saw Heather in the cafeteria, she was eating nothing but a salad and a diet Coke. Normally, she eats more than that."

Charlotte shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe she had a big lunch and was full. Doesn't mean Nattie had anything to do with it. Not that I'm condoning it. I can't stand the way she treats Heather, either, but Heather's a big girl. She can take care of herself."

"I know, I just really hate people who think they're all that and put down others."

"I know, AJ, but I'm sure Heather's fine."

"I hope you're right."

When Heather was done with the treadmill, she went over to lift some weights. It was a bit of a struggle at first, but she finally got the hang of it. Once that was finished, and she did the eliptical, she saw that she had been there over two hours! Heather was drenched in sweat, and it felt good! She hit the showers, and then got dressed, and headed to the airport.


	3. The Date

"Hey, Heather, you want to grab some lunch?"

Heather was getting ready to go on break when Becky Lynch walked up to her. So far it had been two weeks since Heather started her new diet, and so far, she had already lost ten pounds.

"Oh, um- I-I don't know-"

"Come on, you gotta eat, don't you?"

"Um... Sure, I guess."

"Great. Wanna go to the diner across the street?"

Heather nodded her head, reluctantly. "Yes, that would be fine."

"Great. Let's go."

The two friends headed out to the restaurant. It was one of those cute Mom and Pop restaurants. The waiter handed them their menus.

"Hi, my name is Charles, and I will be your waiter this afternoon. Can I get you anything to drink?"

"I will have sweet tea, please," Becky said.

"And I will have ice water with lemon," put in Heather.

The waiter nodded and went to get their drinks while they looked at the menus.

"So, are you wrestling tonight," Heather asked.

"Yeah, in a tag match. Me and Charlotte against Nattie and Carmella."

"Are you gonna win?"

Becky winked. "You'll just have to wait and see, girl."

Heather smiled back. Becky had become one of her closest friends. They continued to look at their menus. The waiter came back with their drinks, and then took out a pen and paper.

"Are you two ready to order?"

"Yes," said Becky. "I will have the BLT with a side of fries."

"Okay. And what about you, miss?"

"Um... I will have the garden salad, no dressing."

The waiter took their menus and left to fill in the orders.

"That's all you're eating," Becky asked, with her eyebrows raised in concern.

"Well, you know, I'm on this new diet."

"I've been meaning to ask you, Heather, you're not on this diet because of Nattie, are you?"

"No, of course not. No. She doesn't bother me. I just want to drop a few pounds, that's all."

"What did you have for breakfast this morning?"

"Well, I- I didn't have any breakfast. I slept in late, and I didn't want to be late for work."

"What time did you get up this morning?"

"About seven."

"It's one now. You mean, you've been up since seven, and haven't had a bite to eat, and all you're getting now is a tiny salad and a glass of water?"

Heather was starting to get frustrated. It was none of Becky's business what, where, or when she ate!

"I'm just not very hungry. At least I'm eating. I will have dinner as soon as I get off work."

"What will you have?"

"I don't know, Becky, okay? Will you please get off my back? You're not my f... You're not my babysitter. I'm fine."

Becky was shocked, to say the least. First of all, she had never known Heather to lose her temper, and she almost dropped the F bomb. Yes, something was definitely not right, but she didn't want to upset her friend anymore.

"I'm sorry, Heather. I was just worried about you."

Heather felt bad. She didn't mean to get snippy.

"It's okay. I'm sorry, too. Let's just forget about it, okay?"

"Okay."

The two women ate their lunch, paid, and then headed back to the arena. They were okay now, but Becky was still worried about her. She wasn't the only one. She knew that AJ Styles was concerned as well, and decided to talk to him.

Becky knocked on the door to his dressing room.

"Come on in," he said.

Becky walked in.

"Hi, AJ."

"Oh, hi, Becky."

AJ was unpacking his wrestling gear for the night's show.

"What can I do for you?"

"I just had lunch with Heather. AJ, all she got was a tiny salad and a glass of water. She didn't have breakfast this morning, and when I tried to talk to her about it, she actually snapped at me. That's never happened before. I'm worried about her."

AJ nodded his head in understanding. At first, he and Heather were just acquaintances, but had become friends.

"She didn't have any breakfast, huh?"

"No. She said she slept in. She got up at seven. That's early for her! Normally, she doesn't get up until around nine. AJ, I don't think she's eating. I think the only reason she ordered anything was because I asked her to come with me."

"Oh, gosh, it's worse than we thought. That bitch, Nattie! Listen, after tonight's show, I'm not going to let her get away that easy. I'll see to it that she eats, and that's it's more than a salad."

"Okay. Good luck."

AJ did exactly as he said he was. Once the show was over, he walked up to Heather, who was packing up her makeup things. He had a match earlier against Dolph Ziggler, and once it was finished, went and showered and put on a fresh pair of clothes.

"Hey, beautiful!"

Heather looked behind her.

"Who you talking to?"

AJ laughed. "You, silly!"

"Oh."

"Hey, want to go out for some pizza? There's a really great pizza place a few blocks from here."

"Um... I..."

"Come on! I won't take no for an answer."

Heather nodded her head. "Okay."

"Great! Let's go."

They left the arena, and took his car. Heather came in a taxi, but AJ offered to drive her back to the hotel afterwards. They went to the pizza place, and AJ asked Heather what kind of pizza she liked. She said she liked pretty much all of them, except for mushrooms and anchovies. AJ just ordered sausage and pepperoni. They had Pepsi to go with it and some breadsticks.

"This is the best pizza place in this town, Heather, I'm tellin' ya."

Heather knew that she couldn't be rude. AJ was being very nice buying her dinner, and she knew she better eat something. Reluctantly, she managed to eat two slices of pizza, one breadstick, and drank one glass of Pepsi. That was good enough to satisfy AJ.

"If you will excuse me, AJ, I need to use the ladies' room."

"Of course. Go ahead."

Heather got up and headed for the restroom. Luckily, no one was in there. Running into one of the stalls, Heather forced herself to vomit. It didn't feel good, but she just had to do it. Once Heather was finished, she flushed the toilet and went over to the sink. There were little plastic cups and she got herself a drink of water, and then splashed some water on her face, and dried it with some paper towels. Heather knew that her breath would smell like vomit, and she didn't want AJ to know. So reaching into her purse, she took two tic tacs, and then put three pieces of gum in her mouth to chew. Hopefully, this would work.

When Heather got back to the table, AJ was getting his wallet out to pay.

"Want any dessert?"

"No, thank you. I'm stuffed."

"Yeah, so am I. Ready to go?"

"Yes."

"Me, too."

They left the restaurant, and then AJ drove her back to the hotel.

"Thanks for coming out with me tonight, Heather."

"Well, thanks for inviting me. It was nice."

"Sure was. Hey, wanna go to a movie or something this weekend?"

"A movie?"

"Yeah. We'll see a chick flick if you want, I don't care."

Heather laughed at this. AJ sure was cute, and really sweet.

"I would love to."

"Great. Oh, hey, I was just wondering, um, do you often chew large amounts of gum?"

Uh-oh. "Well, I, um, I did have pizza, and it tends to stay with me for a while, and I didn't want to have bad breath." Good one!

AJ couldn't help it. Leaning forward, he kissed Heather square on the lips, and then quickly pulled back.

"Oh... Heather... I... I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me."

Heather blushed.

"No, it- it was nice. I liked it a lot."

"You did?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Then you won't mind if I..." Leaning forward, AJ put his hand behind Heather's head and pulled her in for another kiss. This one was a lot more passionate. When they broke apart, Heather noticed that her gum was missing.

"Where's my gum?"

In answer to her question, AJ rolled down his window and spit out a huge wad of green gum into the street.

This made Heather laugh hysterically. It had been a long time since she had a good laugh.

"Oh, my gosh! I'm sorry, AJ."

"Yeah," AJ said, sarcastically. "You sound like you are."

Heather laughed harder. AJ smiled. She seemed okay. Hopefully, she was.


	4. I Love You

Heather was at the store, shopping. SmackDown was in her hometown this week, and she had an apartment, and decided since she would be there for a few days, she might as well get some things. She needed some fruit, some water, and... That was about it. Heather had lost thirty pounds so far. She was past her goal, but figured she might as well continue since she was on a roll. Everyone seemed to want to feed her, it seemed like. Especially AJ. He was such a sweet guy, and already they had been on three dates, and AJ always had her eating something fattening. Of course, Heather would always force herself to throw up after every meal, and AJ was none the wiser. Natalya had stopped making fat comments since she noticed Heather was dropping the weight, so instead, she just called her ugly. Those comments hurt too, but to Heather, they weren't as bad as the fat comments.

Halloween was Tuesday night. The stores of course had all kinds of candy and costumes and decorations. It was one of Heather's favorite holidays. Christmas was number one, however. As Heather shopped, she saw a display of mellow creme candy corn. The kind that had the pumpkins inside. The pumpkins were the best part, in her opinion. They were only a dollar, but Heather had to force herself to turn away. She would be having dinner with AJ later, and didn't feel like wolfing down a bag of candy to make herself sick, and to do it again later after dinner. Heather couldn't help but feel a little bit guilty, for tonight, AJ was coming over to her apartment and he was going to cook for her. He told her he would bring the ingredients and cook her a nice meal along with a bottle of wine. AJ sure was a sweetheart, and she knew he would be crushed if he found out what she was doing, but she couldn't help it.

Heather paid for her items and then headed back to her apartment. It wasn't very big, but it was nice. It had one bedroom, a living room, a bathroom, and a kitchen area. Once Heather was finished putting things away, she decided to go and take a shower so she would be ready for her date. He would be here in two hours, and he was usually punctual and Heather wanted to make sure her hair was dry and everything before he got there.

She found herself really starting to fall in love with the Phenomenal One. He was a real class act, and treated her with nothing but respect. How a guy like that would fall for a girl like her, Heather had yet to figure out. She used coconut scented shampoo and conditioner in her hair to make it smell good, and made sure she washed all over. Once she was finished, she put on her bath robe, wrapped a towel around her head, and then headed into her room to find an outfit to wear. Heather picked out a simple black dress, and a pair of black sandals to go with it. The dress was a little big on her since she had lost all that weight, but it still looked good.

As expected, AJ arrived on time. He looked pretty nice, too, wearing a blue long-sleeved shirt, and blue jeans. He carried in a couple of grocery bags.

"Hi, sweetheart. You look beautiful."

Heather blushed. "So do you."

AJ laughed. "Never been called beautiful before, but I'll take the compliment."

He gave her a quick kiss and sat the bags down on the kitchen table. Heather watched as he pulled out a bottle of red wine and some steaks and vegetables.

"This shouldn't take long. The steaks are unthawed, I just have to cook 'em. I like mine medium rare, what about you?"

"I'll take it any way except for rare."

"Same here."

"Can I help with anything?"

"Sure. You can slice up that bread I bought fresh from the bakery just a few minutes ago, please."

"Sure thing."

Heather got out a knife and went to work at cutting the bread while AJ worked on the steaks and the vegetables. The food sure smelled delicious, and Heather wanted it so bad, but she knew she would end up making herself sick afterwards. AJ had also brought a chocolate fudge cake for dessert, that was store bought.

"Hope you don't mind store bought cake," AJ said.

"No, not at all."

Heather set the table and they sat down to enjoy their meal. It was a pretty nice evening. AJ told Heather some funny WWE stories that took place before she started working there. Backstage stories. They sure were a hoot! Heather talked about her family, and while they lived in different states, they loved each other very much and would always get together for special occasions.

"You made such a delicious dinner, AJ, let me at least do the dishes."

"Nope. Not gonna happen. You go in the living room there and relax, and I'll take care of these."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Okay. I am going to go floss my teeth. I have a piece of meat caught."

"Okay."

Of course, Heather didn't really have a piece of meat caught. It was just an excuse to go to the bathroom. Immediately, she threw up. Hopefully, AJ didn't hear her. Once she was finished, she brushed her teeth, had some mouth wash, took two tic tacs and got a piece of gum. Only one piece this time.

When she came back out, she found AJ sitting on the couch, holding a glass of wine.

"Did you fall in," he asked laughing.

Heather laughed back. "No. It took forever getting that piece of meat out. It was stuck in there pretty good. Sorry it took so long."

"No biggie. Want another glass of wine."

"Can't. Two glasses is my limit."

"Yeah, I really should stop. This is my third glass. I brought a taxi here so you don't have to worry about me driving."

"That's good."

"Want to watch a movie or something?"

"Absolutely."

She showed AJ where her DVD's were. They looked through them.

"What's this," AJ asked pulling out a movie. Heather smiled.

"Oh, that's an old Chevy Chase movie from the eighties. Modern Problems. I love that movie."

"Never seen it. Can we watch it?"

"Sure."

They sat back on the couch and watched the movie. Heather wasn't sure if AJ would like it or not, but to his surprise, he did. Once it was over, AJ surprised Heather by kissing her.

"You sure are beautiful," he said.

"Thank you. At least I spit my gum out this time."

They both laughed.

"You sure like your gum."

"Well, there's worse habits."

"True."

There was a pause. AJ had his arm wrapped around her.

"Heather?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm a little tired, and I was wondering if..."

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, you can spend the night. I would love for you to."

"Really?"

"Definitely."

"Heather, you are too good for me."

"Far from, AJ. Far from."

"You are. You're beautiful, you're smart, you've got a great sense of humor, and your heart's bigger than this entire apartment building."

"Oh AJ."

Heather leaned forward and pulled AJ into a passionate kiss. Their kisses were usually gentle, but this one was filled with a lot more passion.

"I'm falling in love with you, Heather," he said, once they broke apart.

"I'm falling in love with you too, AJ."


	5. Getting Help

Well, it was official. AJ and Heather were now a couple. They decided to keep their relationship a secret for the time being, for they didn't want to jinx anything. Halloween came and went, and it was a pretty good SmackDown Show. Natalya didn't even upset her with her mean comments. Things were looking up for Heather. She had dropped some more weight. When she got on the scale that morning in the bathroom, it said she weighed 95.1. She was really skinny now.

It had been about a month since AJ and Heather got together, and AJ couldn't help noticing how much thinner she looked. It was really confusing since Heather ate pretty decent. How was she getting so skinny? He wanted to talk to her about it, but he knew that she would probably get upset and that is not what he wanted right now. He was really in love with Heather, and he didn't want to jeopardize their new relationship. Becky Lynch didn't want to mention anything because the last time she did, Heather got mad. Charlotte Flair decided she would talk to her.

"You two are such sissies," Charlotte said to both AJ and Becky with a roll of her eyes. She walked up to Heather who was setting up her makeup supply.

"Hey, Heather."

"Oh, hi, Charlotte. What's up?"

"Nothing. Well, actually, there is something I want to talk to you about. It's important."

"Okay, shoot."

"Okay, first of all, please don't get mad. I am only bringing this up because I care about you."

Heather nodded her head, looking concerned. What was wrong?

"Heather, lately, we've all noticed the change in you. It's not a good change. I mean, you went from 146 pounds down to what, 95 or 96 in just a few weeks? That is not healthy, girl. I can practically see your ribcage! Whatever you're doing to lose weight, it needs to stop right now. AJ and Becky didn't want to say anything because they're afraid of offending you, but they are just as concerned as me. Everyone on the SmackDown roster is concerned about you. Well, except for Nattie, but that's a whole other kettle of fish. Anyway, you need some help, girl. I know what you're doing. You'll eat normally and then force yourself to throw up. I've seen it happen to other people. It's bulimia, Heather. You need professional help."

There was a pause. Heather didn't say anything right away. She stood there blank, staring at Charlotte. Finally, after about three or four minutes, she spoke.

"Well, Queen Charlotte, it seems like you have all the answers, don't you? I manage to lose weight, and you all act like I do nothing but puke my guts out. Do you realize I feel better than I have in years? And when did you talk to AJ about me?"

"He's my friend, too, and we're both concerned. So is Becky and everybody else. You can get mad at me all you want, it doesn't change the fact that you need help. You've lost way too much weight."

"What exactly did AJ say about me?"

"He said- wait a minute, why are you so concerned with what AJ said over anybody else?"

"Just answer the question."

"No, not until you tell me why it's so important what AJ said."

"I—Nothing. Just forget about it. I can take care of myself, Charlotte. I don't need a babysitter."

Before Charlotte could say anything else, AJ walked up. Becky stayed in the background.

"Charlotte, it's okay. Listen, Heather, I think we should tell them. They're our friends and will find out sooner or later."

Heather nodded her head and motioned for AJ to go ahead and spill the beans.

"Me and Heather are in love. We've been going together for about a month now."

This was news to both Charlotte and Becky. Becky walked up to give them a hug.

"Congratulations. That is terrific news! But Heather, Charlotte's right. You need help."

"No, I don't! AJ, tell them I am all right, please!"

It broke AJ's heart to see the desperation in Heather's face. Heather felt like they were all ganging up on her.

"Heather, baby, please be reasonable. I love you and am concerned about you. Natalya being a bitch is no reason for you to starve yourself!"

Heather burst into tears and collapsed on the floor. AJ bent down and pulled her into his arms hugging her.

"Shh, shh, baby, it's okay. You're going to be okay. We are going to get you some help before it gets anymore out of hand."

"That's right," Charlotte said, patting her friend on the shoulder.

"We're all here for you girl," Becky said with a reassuring smile.

"AJ, I—I'm scared."

"It's okay. Don't be scared, honey. We are not going to let anything happen to you. Come on. Deep breaths. Deep breaths."

Heather took in some deep breaths.

"I am so—so—sorry. To all of you."

"You don't need to be sorry," Charlotte told her. "It's Natalya who should be sorry."

More people started to walk up and ask what was wrong. They all cared very much for Heather and were worried to see her collapsed to the ground in tears. To say they were beyond furious to find out all the mean comments Natalya made about her was an understatement. Natalya walked up.

"What's going on? Why is fatso crying?"

AJ jumped up and roughly grabbed Natalya by the arms and pinned her up against the wall.

"What are you doing, soccer mom hair?"

"Shut up, bitch! Do you know what you've done? DO YOU? THANKS TO YOU, HEATHER, WHO HAPPENS TO BE MY GIRLFRIEND, HAS AN EATING DISORDER! ALL BECAUSE OF THE SHITTY COMMENTS YOU MADE ABOUT HER! BECAUSE OF YOU, SHE HAS TO GET MEDICAL ATTENTION! I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY!"

With that, AJ let go of Natalya and ran back to Heather who was still sobbing on the floor.

Natalya knew that Heather had lost weight and had pretty much stopped with the fat jokes, but decided she would make some more. She had no idea that Heather had dropped that much weight. When she saw how little she was, it horrified her! Natalya was a bully, but she never thought in her wildest dreams that this would happen. She felt almost… guilty.

"Heather—" Natalya started, but Becky Lynch held up a warning finger for her to shut up.

Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan promised Heather that her job would still be here when she got back. Right now she just needed to focus on getting better. Before it got any more out of hand.


	6. A Meeting and Flowers

Heather was at a meeting for people with eating disorders. AJ had brought her to this clinic the previous evening and promised her that he would come visit every chance he got. She nodded and told him that she loved him and how sorry she was. His response was for her to not worry about that, just focus on getting better. Not just for him, but for herself. She deserved to be happy.

There was a group of about six in the meeting. Four girls and two guys. Well, three guys if you counted the counselor who would be asking them questions. He was a very friendly man in his early fifties with jet black hair and chocolate brown eyes. He reminded Heather a little bit of Johnny Depp. He was a happily married man, and also very friendly. His name was George Rainey.

"Who wants to be the first to go today? How about you, Angela?"

A young girl in her teens stood up. She couldn't of been more than fifteen or sixteen.

"Hi. I'm Angela, and I have an eating disorder."

Everyone replied, "Hello, Angela."

Angela nervously fidgeted with her fingers. Her skin was very white and pale and there were dark gray circles under her eyes.

"I began starving myself when I was only twelve. It's amazing I'm still alive today, actually. It was the little things. You know, first I wouldn't eat as much, and then I cut down to eating healthier foods, and then not eating at all. If I was ever in a situation where I had to eat anything big like Thanksgiving food or Christmas food, I would force myself to throw it all up. My family begged and pleaded with me to get help but I would just scream at them to leave me the F alone, until about three weeks ago, my mom was crying. I asked her what was wrong. We sat and had a talk. I hadn't seen my mom cry in years. That's when I knew I had to stop being selfish and get help. So, that is why I'm here now."

Angela sat back down. Heather was last to go up. She listened intently to everyone's stories and they all broke her heart.

"My name is Heather, and I have an eating disorder."

"Hello, Heather."

"Hi. Um... My eating disorder has been going on for about a month and a half. I originally weighed 146, but now I'm down to 95. That's quite a difference, especially in that short period of time. I knew that I needed help, and my friends and the man I love were the ones who talked me into getting help. As expected, I got defensive and said nothing was wrong, that I was perfectly fine, which is a lie. The reason I started this is because someone that I know has been bullying me. Making all kinds of fat jokes, and finally, it just got to be too much. I couldn't handle it anymore. I didn't intend to get this small at first, or for it to get so out of hand. I thought maybe I could just drop a few pounds by eating right and exercising, but I became so obsessed that I threw up everything I ate. All three meals. Then of course, there were the days where I didn't eat anything at all. That's why I'm here."

Once the meeting was over, they were all allowed to go outside and get some fresh air. It was a cool day, but not freezing cold. Just cool enough to wear a jacket or a sweater or a hoodie. In a way, right now, Heather considered herself lucky. Who knows where she would be right now if AJ hadn't come into her life? Or the rest of her friends? They were the ones who insisted she get help, and she did, and she was going to make things right. It wasn't going to be easy, but it would be worth it.

When everyone went back inside, Heather went into the room she was staying in and was shocked to find a bouquet of flowers on her bed. They came with a card. They sure were beautiful! Heather read the card.

 **Hey, sweetheart! I know it's just your first day and all, but I just wanted to send you these flowers to show you how proud I am of you. I made double sure that the flowers got to you today. I received word that they had. Anyway, I hope you like them. I should be by sometime next week to see you. I miss you already! I love you, honey. Keep your head up high!**

 **AJ**

Heather smiled, tearfully. Oh, that AJ was sure one of a kind. The flowers were pink roses, her favorite. She got the water jug that was in her bathroom, filled it with water, and put the flowers in it. Yes, AJ was definitely the best thing that had happened to her in a long time. He made her more determined than ever to beat this illness. And she would.


	7. Visitors

Heather was excited, for today, AJ would be coming to see her. The past week had been rough, but she was determined to beat this. She knew she could do it. There were people monitoring her all the time. Her first night there, they gave her a bowl of oatmeal, a very small bowl, and asked her to at least take a few bites. She did, but then threw it up. Heather had been so embarrassed and disappointed in herself, but they reassured her that it would take a while, but she would get there. It had been just her first night after all. Luckily, with the support of AJ and the rest of her WWE friends, Heather was not going to give up. She tried to make herself look nice enough for when AJ came to see her. She had her red hair up in a ponytail, and was wearing jeans and a light blue t-shirt. One of the workers knocked on the door to her room.

"Heather? You have a visitor."

Heather smiled. AJ wasn't due to be here for at least another hour or so. Her face fell, however, when she saw it wasn't AJ, it was Natalya. Natalya was holding a gift bag.

"Hi, Heather," she said with a frown. Not a mean frown but a sad frown. What on Earth was this woman doing here? The woman who had treated her like garbage from day one? Noticing the look on Heather's face, the worker said, "Do you want her to leave?"

Hesitating, Heather shook her head, no. She wanted to know the reason for Natalya's visit at least. The worker left the two alone.

"How are you doing?"

"Well, considering the fact that I have low self esteem, bulimia, and am in a treatment center for it, I would say I'm just peachy."

Normally, Heather wasn't the type to talk back. Especially not to any of the WWE talent. At this point, she just didn't care anymore.

"Here, this is for you," Natalya said, holding out the gift bag. Heather took it reluctantly.

"What is it?"

"A gift."

Looking inside, Heather found a card, and a painting of herself with AJ.

"In my spare time, I like to paint. I hope you like it."

The painting was pretty good, Heather had to admit. Sitting it down, she looked at the card. It was a GET WELL SOON card.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. Listen, Heather, I am so sorry for everything. I've insulted plenty of the makeup stylists as well as the other wrestlers, but they have never taken it as bad as you. I never once thought that my words would send you into an eating disorder. You were far from fat. I called everybody fat. I'm a bully, I admit it. When I saw how broken you were and how skinny you got, it terrified me. I am not asking for your forgiveness, because I don't deserve it. I just came to tell you how sorry I am and to bring you this gift."

Heather didn't say anything. She sat down on the edge of her bed. She was in deep thought. Taking this as her cue to leave, Natalya turned to leave.

"Nattie?"

Natalya came to a stop.

"Thank you. You're forgiven."

Nodding, Natalya left. An hour later, AJ showed up. He had a cute little teddy bear for her. As expected, she loved it!

They took a walk around the yard, holding hands.

"You look beautiful today," AJ said with a smile. Heather smiled back.

"Thanks. I had another visitor today."

"Oh, really? Who was it? Becky? Charlotte?"

"No. Nattie."

AJ stopped in his tracks. He wasn't sure if he had heard right. Nattie came to see her? He felt the anger starting to boil inside of him.

"What was she doing here?"

"It's okay. She came to apologize. She made me a nice painting and brought me a card."

"And that's supposed to make up for everything?"

"Oh, AJ. She was sincere. She told me that she never meant for this to happen."

"How does she not expect calling you fatso all the time wouldn't have consequences? How stupid can she be?!"

Heather had only ever seen AJ lose his temper once before and that was when he grabbed Natalya and screamed at her. She was touched that he stood up for her, but seeing him so angry upset her.

"Please don't be mad, honey. It's not like we're now best friends or anything. I just said I forgave her, and that was it. She didn't come wanting forgiveness, she came wanting to apologize for what she did."

AJ softened when he saw that tears were starting to form in Heather's eyes. He didn't want to make her cry. He pulled her into a hug.

"I'm sorry, baby. I just worry about you."

"I know you do. But I am going to be okay. Natalya isn't the only reason I did this. I've had low self esteem for years. My parents were drug addicts, and I was put into different foster homes. I was a heavyset kid. Since then, I've been self conscious about my weight. Nattie didn't help with her fat comments, but she wasn't completely one hundred percent responsible. I'd say about eighty."

"That's still pretty bad."

"Yeah, but, she really is sorry. I can tell when people are really sorry or not."

"Okay, just promise me you'll get better."

"Of course I will, AJ. For you. I love you."

"I love you too, sweetie. Please get better. I need you."

"I need you, too."

The couple continued to walk around outside for a little bit. He didn't leave until visiting hours were over. AJ promised that he would come visit her every week. This gave Heather something to look forward to. AJ Styles was her dream come true. She didn't care that he was famous, or what his profession was. He could of been anything and it wouldn't have mattered. She loved him with all her heart. The feeling was mutual.


	8. Nattie's Confession

AJ was getting ready for his match tonight against Kevin Owens. They were to be in the main event. Kevin had come in earlier and asked AJ about Heather, and how she was doing. The entire WWE Universe now knew that they were together and were happy for them. AJ told Kevin that Heather was doing just fine, and was working really hard to beat this illness of hers. While he was optimistic, he was still worried about her. He couldn't help feeling guilty, though. All those times they ate their meals together and she would immediately make a dash for the bathroom should have been a warning signal that something was not right. He knew that she had lost quite a bit of weight, but he figured it was just because she was not eating enough, not because she was making herself sick. Kevin told AJ not to feel guilty, that it wasn't his fault. It was Natalya's. Speaking of Natalya, she walked in to the room where the two men were talking.

"Hi, Kevin. AJ. AJ, can I talk to you in private?"

Kevin got the hint and walked off, yelling back to AJ that he would see him in the ring.

"What do you want, Nattie," AJ asked in a cold tone. Heather might of forgiven her, but it was going to take AJ a while to forgive her. It would take a lot more than an "I'm sorry."

"How's Heather?"

"Improving."

"That's good. Listen, AJ, as you know I visited her a couple of weeks ago to apologize and to bring her a gift. I know it doesn't make up for what I did."

"You think?"

"AJ, please listen to me. What I'm about to tell you I have never told anybody else. You may not know this, but back in high school, I was bullied. People called me all kinds of names. Every name in the book. As I got older, I decided instead of being the one who was bullied that I would be the bully. The thing is, when I was bullied, I just had a whatever attitude about it. A lot of people have a hard time who are being bullied. The reason I became a bully was because... Now, this is going to sound terrible, but, I thought it was cool. That it would make me look tough. I never once thought that my words would cause somebody to do damage to themselves. Not only did I drive Heather to bulimia, but I have read horrible stories online about people who have taken their own life because of it. That it was just too much."

Natalya started to cry here.

"I'm a grown woman, and I act like a child. I actually thought bullying was cool and it's far from. It's a terrible thing to do to somebody. Nobody deserves that. Nobody. I was fortunate enough to not care what the mean kids said about me. I just didn't think how others would take it. Some people can handle it and some people can't. Especially people with low self-esteem. What I am telling you is no excuse. Just because it sounded cool is about as lame as you can get. AJ, I'm sorry. Like I told Heather, I don't need forgiveness, I just need you both to know that I am sorry, and that my bullying days are behind me. If Heather wants, I will get my makeup done by Jan or somebody else. She won't have to deal with me again."

Natalya's mascara started to run. AJ felt a tiny bit sorry for her. Not a whole lot, no, but just a teeny bit.

"It took guts to admit that, Nattie. I believe you're sorry. As far as who does your makeup, I don't care. You'll have to take that up with Heather. If she wants to continue to do it, she will. Bullying is not cool. Never has been, never will be. You could take it, but there's lots of people out there who can't. You need to grow up."

Natalya nodded her head. AJ found a handkerchief in his bag and handed it to her so she could wipe her eyes.

"Thank you."

AJ nodded as she wiped her eyes.

"I am going to change, AJ. I am going to be a better person from here on out. I promise you."

"Good. Like I said, though, Heather probably has forgiven you, but it's going to take me a while."

"I understand."

They shook hands. With that, Natalya left the dressing room. AJ took a deep breath and decided to stretch before his match.

NOTE: No, Natalya wasn't a bully, I just wanted to add it to the story. :)


	9. I Need You

Heather giggled as AJ kissed her neck. He was visiting her, and was proud to see her doing much better. She was even starting to fill out some.

"AJ, stop, someone could walk in."

"I know, hon, that's what makes it exciting."

"Oh, yeah? I'll show you exciting."

Heather playfully turned AJ over and sat on his lap. AJ playfully lifted his eyebrows up and down.

"I like where this is going, baby."

Heather laughed. "Really? Do you like this?" She surprised him by tickling his sides.

"Whoa, hey! Stop! That's not fair!"

They continued to laugh and play, and they both rolled onto the floor off of the bed, causing them both to laugh even harder. So far, this had been one of the best days of Heather's life. AJ had brought her some books to read as well as a new stuffed animal. They took a walk outside, and were now alone in her room just playing and having fun.

"I love you so much, Heather."

"I love you, too, AJ. I have a question, though."

"What is it?"

"What made you fall in love with me? I mean, when we first met you didn't even seem that interested, and then out of the blue, you start talking to me more and asking me out."

"Aw, doll, I've liked you from the beginning. I just didn't know how to go about it. I'm glad I did, though. I don't regret it for a second."

Heather smiled and leaned forward, kissing AJ on the forehead.

"I don't regret it, either. I thank God and my lucky stars every day that you came into my life. I don't know if you believe in miracles or not, but I do. If it wasn't for you, I don't know where I would be right now. I would probably be much worse. Thanksgiving is next week, and I know what I am thankful for this year. Remember when you cooked dinner for me, and we were talking about our families? Well, I never told you, I meant my adoptive family."

"I kind of figured that out when I came to visit you the first time and you spilled your guts."

"Oh."

"Have you talked to them yet?"

"Yes. They were so worried when I told them and they wanted to come out here and see me, but the drive is too far, and they can't afford a plane ticket or anything. This will be the first Thanksgiving I won't be with them."

AJ felt bad now, for Heather looked sad, when just a minute ago, she was as happy as a clam.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I wish I could do something for you."

Heather gave a small smile and took AJ's hand in her own.

"Just promise me you will always be here for me. I need you."

"I need you more."

With that, they leaned forward and kissed.

"By the way, I have another surprise for you," AJ said when they broke apart from the kiss.

"What's that?"

"This."

It was AJ's turn to tickle Heather and send her into hysterics.

"Stop! Stop! Please!"

AJ finally stopped.

"AJ Styles, I swear you're a little boy trapped in a man's body."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

NOTE: I know, a short chapter, but hopefully, it's good. :)


	10. A Thanksgiving Surprise

Heather was in a group therapy meeting, and the therapist was thrilled to see the progress that she had made. She was becoming quite the inspiration to the others in the group. To be honest, Heather hadn't felt this good in a long time. She was weighed, and was up to one hundred and five pounds. She was told that if she continued doing good, then she would probably be out of here by Christmas. A lot of people weren't so lucky, for they would probably be here a lot longer than just a couple of months, but having AJ in her life, helped quite a bit, as well as that sincere apology from Natalya, and all of her friends. Heather sure felt lucky. She realized now that she couldn't let people's mean comments effect her. There were going to be people who said mean things all the time. Nobody was perfect, all that mattered was that Heather was a good person with a huge heart, and that was what mattered most. She also knew about bullies on Social Media, and there were a lot of teens out there as well as younger kids who attempted suicide because of the mean comments. Those kids just needed to know that they were loved and shouldn't pay attention to bullies. Having low self-esteem about yourself just made it a whole lot worse.

Thanksgiving Day was here and Heather and a group of people watched the parade on a TV. Heather was excited that AJ was going to make it today. He said he had a big surprise for her. Every time AJ came to visit, he brought her a surprise. As soon as Heather got out of here, she was going to do something extra special for AJ. What, she didn't know yet, but hopefully he would like it. Even though it was a good day so far, she still felt a little down because her family wouldn't be there to see her. They had talked on the phone the night before, and said hopefully they would see her by Christmas and that they loved and missed her.

They were going to have a special dinner there. People could eat however much they wanted, just as long as they ate something. The dinner wasn't huge, the turkey wasn't as big as a lot of people would normally get. There was stuffing on the side, and red Jell-O for dessert, as well as some homemade rolls. If someone would just eat one or two rolls, that would be better than nothing. Dinner would be at four. AJ planned on being there by three or three-thirty. He arrived at three-fifteen, and to Heather's shock, he had a couple of guests with him. It was her step-parents, James and Violet. AJ had bought them plane tickets and flew them out so that they could be with their daughter on Thanksgiving. Heather burst into tears and hugged her step-parents. She hadn't seen them in months and couldn't be happier! As expected, during dinner, they made sure Heather ate. To everyone's surprise, she did excellent! Maybe she would get out even earlier than Christmas.

"Honey, AJ is just wonderful! Don't let this one get away."

Heather looked at AJ and winked. "I won't, Mom, I promise. Nobody is taking this hottie away from me."

"Hey, I'm eating here," James said, with a chuckle.

AJ even got them a room at the nicest hotel in town. A suite. At first, they politely turned it down, saying that they could at least pay for their own hotel room, but AJ was insistent.

Visiting hours were almost over, so her step-parents headed back to the hotel and said they would see her first thing in the morning. AJ asked if he could stay just one more hour and he promised he would leave by then, for he really needed to talk to Heather alone. At first he was told no, but they finally gave in when AJ said if they didn't let him stay he would just sneak back in. The happy couple lay on the bed, holding each other.

"Thank you so much, AJ. That was one of the nicest gifts ever."

"My pleasure, hon. They're wonderful people."

"They sure are. But what about your family?"

"I promised I would be there for Christmas. Today, I wanted to be with you. They were perfectly okay with it."

"Really?"

"Promise. Listen, on Christmas Eve is when we do our family dinner and everything, and I was wondering if you're out of here by then, would you like to come with me? I mean, on Christmas Day I thought we could kind of switch—"

"You mean spend Christmas Eve with your family and you spend Christmas Day with mine?"

"Yeah, I think we can do it. We might be exhausted afterwards but it will be worth it. What do you say?"

"I'd love that!"

"Great. Then that's settled."

There was a pause as they continue to lay there.

"I wish you could spend the night."

"I do too, sugar, but I promise to be back next week. I want to keep getting good reports about you. And no flirting with that Johnny Depp looking guy."

Heather laughed at this. "I won't. I promise."

"Good girl."

AJ kissed the top of her head. She ended up falling asleep. AJ knew she was tired, and didn't want to wake her so he left her a note and whispered "I love you," in her ear before leaving.

The next morning when Heather woke up, she saw the note that AJ had left. She felt bad about falling asleep on him, but couldn't help it. A combination of turkey, getting up early and snuggling up warm against her man made her sleepy. The note read,

"Hey, darlin', you fell asleep on me. No worries. I hope you had a very happy Thanksgiving. I'm already countin' down to next week when I can come see you again. I love you, sweetheart. See you soon.

AJ"

Heather smiled, and sat the note aside. Oh, yes. There was no doubt about it. She was one hundred thousand percent in love with AJ Styles.


	11. Coming Home

Heather was having her last meeting with the doctor, and a Christmas miracle occured. She was declared healthy and allowed to leave. Heather had gotten up to 110 pounds, and she felt great, and had her appetite back. She thanked the doctor with a hug and a peck on the cheek. AJ was waiting for her outside. He couldn't wait to take her to his home in Georgia. Luckily, Heather's family only lived about an hour away, so it wouldn't be that much of a drive. Not only would this be Heather's first time seeing AJ's house, but also her first time meeting his parents. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve and they would be having dinner with AJ's family. She was a little nervous. What if they didn't like her? She didn't even have a gift for them? Or a gift for AJ yet, for that matter.

"Hon, is there a mall anywhere around here?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, I want to get a special gift for your family."

"Baby, you don't have to do that."

"I know, but I want to."

They pulled in to the parking lot of the mall. Heather had never been inside this mall before, so AJ showed her around. It was a pretty nice mall, and as expected, it was packed! Last minute Christmas shopping and all that. Heather couldn't help but smile when she saw kids sitting on Santa's lap.

Heather decided to get AJ's family a nice fruit basket. Hopefully, they would like it. AJ assured her they would. They went to get a hot chocolate before leaving.

"Are you sure a fruit basket is okay?"

"Heather, the basket is huge! They'll love it, they're big fruit eaters."

Heather smiled, and looked over and saw a Victoria's Secret store. AJ said he would be right back for he needed to make a phone call. Making sure that he was out of earshot, Heather made a quick dash to the Victoria's Secret store. This wouldn't take long at all. She found a nice, red silk nightie with a robe to go with it. Luckily, she made it back to her seat in time before AJ noticed she was missing. Heather was able to hide the sack under her coat, so he wouldn't notice it.

Once they arrived to AJ's house, a large Golden Retriever came running up to them.

"Don't worry, he's nice. This is my dog, Buddy."

"Hi, Buddy!"

Heather pet Buddy and he covered his face in kisses, causing her to giggle.

"He's so cute!"

"He is, but he can be a pain in the ass, too."

AJ's house was incredible! It had five bedrooms, three baths, a built-in hot tub and swimming pool, and a private movie theater. The kitchen and the dining room were to die for, as was the living room.

AJ cooked Heather a nice dinner of pork chops, broccoli, a salad, rolls, and chocolate pudding for dessert. Heather ate normally, and there was no mad dash for the bathroom afterwards. The two just spent the evening enjoying each other's company, and sitting in front of the fireplace with a glass of wine. Buddy lay by their feet.

"I am so glad you're here with me, baby," AJ said, kissing the top of her head.

"I am, too, AJ. I love you so much."

"I love you, too. I've missed you."

"I missed you. Do you think your family will like me?"

"How could they not? I love you, and I don't love anybody."

Heather laughed. She looked over in the corner at the Christmas tree.

"Your tree is so beautiful. The tree, the snow coming down outside, the fire, it really feels like Christmas."

"Yes, it does."

They were silent for a couple of minutes, when suddenly, AJ started to sing.

 _Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say_

 _On a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day_

 _That's the island greeting that we send to you_

 _From the land where palm trees sway_

 _Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright_

 _The sun to shine by day, and all the stars at night_

 _Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way to say Merry Christmas to you_

Heather smiled and sang the other part.

 _Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say_

 _On a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day_

 _That's the island greeting that we send to you_

 _From the land where palm trees sway_

 _Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright_

 _The sun to shine by day, and all the stars at night_

 _Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way to say Merry Christmas to you_

They both smiled and kissed.

"You're a terrible singer, AJ."

"Back at ya, girl."

 **SONG CREDIT: Mele Kalikimaka written by Robert Alex Anderson**


	12. Meeting the Parents

"Just relax, baby. It's going to be fine."

AJ and Heather were driving to AJ's parents' house. Heather had been a bundle of nerves all day. She really wanted to make a good impression. Heather had dated at least two or three guys before AJ, but she was never as serious about them as she was about AJ. He was her true love. That was why she really wanted his family to like her. The house came into view. It was a large, yellow, two-story house and it looked beautiful!

AJ pulled the car into the driveway and shut off the engine. He had to admit that he was a little nervous, too, but he was able to keep it inside for Heather's sake. The poor dear had already been through so much. AJ picked up Heather's hand, giving it a gentle kiss.

"You all right?"

"Yeah. I just want everything to be perfect."

"It'll be okay. Are you ready?"

Heather nodded yes. They both got out of the car, and headed up to the house. AJ offered to carry the fruit basket, but Heather insisted she carry it herself. It wasn't as heavy as it looked. They went inside and were greeted by AJ's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jones. They were right by the door, anxiously awaiting for him to come in.

"Son! We are so glad to see you! You look great!"

"Thanks, Mom. Hi, Dad."

"Hey, Allen, how are you?"

"Good. Guys, I want you to meet someone very special to me. This pretty gal standing beside me is my girlfriend, Heather."

Heather gave a polite smile. "Nice to meet you both. I brought you a gift."

Mr. Jones took the fruit basket with a smile. "Thank you very much. How thoughtful. Look, Karen."

"Yes, that is quite lovely. Thank you, dear."

"My pleasure. You have a really nice house."

"Thank you."

So far, so good. They removed their coats and then went into the living room to sit down and enjoy some coffee, and sugar cookies.

The fire was going in the fireplace.

"So who is all coming," AJ asked, taking a bite out of a cookie.

"Your sister, Samantha, your brother, Geoffrey, your grandpa, Charlie, your grandma, Evelyn, and your aunt Lisa, and Uncle Jason."

"Talk about a house full," AJ said, with a laugh.

"Indeed. So tell me, Heather, how did you and AJ meet?"

"Oh, he didn't tell you, Mrs. Jones?"

"No. It wasn't until a few days before Thanksgiving that I heard he had a girlfriend."

Heather looked hurt. AJ hadn't mentioned her at all? Deciding to ask him about that later, she responded, "I work with the WWE, too. I'm the makeup stylist. He asked me out on a date, and we went from there. I was going through a rough time, but he helped me out. I seriously don't know where I would be if it wasn't for him."

AJ's parents both looked skeptical.

"Money problems," Mr. Jones asked.

"Oh, no, sir, nothing like that. I had developed an eating disorder, and he got me some help. Now, I'm better."

"I'm surprised you eat anything, you're as skinny as a toothpick," Mrs. Jones said with a sigh.

Before Heather could say anything, AJ spoke up.

"Now, wait a minute. Heather has the perfect body. She's beautiful."

"I never said she wasn't beautiful, Allen. Golly, you're so dramatic. I just said she was skinny."

Heather could see there was tension between AJ and his parents, so she tried to ease it.

"Well, I-I've been eating a whole lot better. A better diet, and a normal exercise regime. I am doing much better. And, I need to tell you both something. I know what you're both probably thinking. I love your son, and I don't care if he's the richest man in the world or the poorest man in the world, I love him with all of my heart, and I can assure you that I am not a gold digger."

She had hoped that would help, but it only added fuel to the fire.

"Who said we thought you were a gold digger?"

"No! I just meant that a lot of people would probably see it that way, but I swear to you, that's not the case."

"Well, Miss Brown, that thought never entered our heads," Mr. Jones said, looking offended.

"Oh. Well, I-I am sorry. I- Please just forget I said that."

"Too late."

Heather looked like she was about ready to cry but bit her lip to stop it. AJ saw that her nose was red. That was the sign that she wanted to cry.

"You have no right to treat her like that, Dad. She's been through hell and back."

"Don't talk to me like that, Allen. She's the one who said we thought she was a gold-digger. We never even thought that!"

"Excuse me, please."

Heather got up and walked out of the room. AJ got up and quickly followed after her.

"Heather, wait!"

Heather went outside and picked up a ball of snow and aimed it furiously at a tree.

"Sweetie, I'm sorry."

Heather turned around. She couldn't keep it in anymore. The tears just came flooding out.

"Why didn't you tell them about me? I'm sorry I offended them, but what I am really upset about is why you didn't tell them about me. About us."

AJ sighed, and nervously scratched the back of his neck.

"Heather, every girl I brought home has never lived up to their expectations. I care for you much more than I ever did the others, and I didn't want them to try and change my mind about you. Not that I ever would. I-I just... Look, I wanted you to come spend Christmas with them. I was planning on telling them as soon as we confessed our love, but I chickened out. I'm sorry."

Heather nodded her head in understanding. "It's okay. I'm kind of guilty of the same thing. I shouldn't have gotten so upset."

"It's okay. Just, come on. Deep down, they're good people, and they mean well."

AJ led Heather back inside where Mr. and Mrs. Jones were waiting. They immediately felt guilty when they saw the tears in her eyes.

"Oh, dear, you've been crying," Mrs. Jones said pulling Heather into a hug.

Mr. Jones looked sad. "I am so sorry, Heather. You didn't deserve to be treated that way. Forgive us?"

Heather nodded yes, wiping her eyes.

"Look, why don't you help me in the kitchen, darling? I'm baking the desserts right now. The main course and side dishes are pretty much done, but I could sure use some help with dessert."

Heather smiled, and replied, "I would love to, Mrs. Jones."

The two women headed off into the kitchen leaving the men alone.

"I'm sorry, son."

"It's okay, Dad. She's been through a lot lately."

"Yes. I remember you said she was sick."

"She was. Bulimia. One of the women's wrestlers kept calling her fatso. I wanted to be with her. I'm sorry I missed Thanksgiving but... she... needed me."

Mr. Jones nodded his head in understanding.

"You need her, too."

"Very much so."

MEANWHILE IN THE KITCHEN

Heather was helping Mrs. Jones bake the cheesecakes and pumpkin pies.

"This kitchen is gorgeous, Mrs. Jones."

"Thank you, hon. We've lived in this house fifteen years. I don't think we could ever sell it."

The two women continued to work when Mrs. Jones asked, "Heather, if you don't mind me asking, what was wrong with you? The only thing Allen told me was that you were sick?"

"I was. I- I developed an eating disorder. Bulimia. AJ got me help. Someone I work with kept making fat jokes about me, and I just couldn't take it anymore."

Mrs. Jones gave Heather a sympathetic pat on the back.

"I am so sorry to hear that. I am also sorry about that skinny comment. You have a really nice figure."

"Thank you. And don't worry about that. I'd rather be called that then those horrible names I was called before."

"Mr. Jones was right, though. We never once thought you would be a gold digger."

"I know. I'm sorry I said that. I was just a bundle of nerves."

"No need to be. Thank you for that lovely fruit basket. I've had Mr. Jones hide it in our bedroom so when they rest of the family get here, they won't be eating it all themselves, because believe me, they would."

Heather laughed at this. Except for that little dramatic episode earlier, it had been a pretty pleasant day. Hopefully tomorrow would be just as pleasant if not more so.

NOTE: I have no idea the real names of AJ Styles' family, so I just made some names up. LOL!


	13. New Year's Eve

The Christmas holiday came and went and it was absolutely wonderful! They had a nice Christmas with both sets of parents, and were now back at AJ's house just enjoying their break together. Of course, AJ loved the nightie that Heather got from Victoria's Secret. He used the phrase, "Smokin' Hot" which caused her to blush. They had gotten each other a few little things, but nothing too big, for they both agreed, nothing too big. It was New Year's Eve, and the couple sit on the couch, each holding a glass of wine, getting ready to watch the ball drop at Time's Square. The countdown was coming up. They counted along with it. 10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" They both screamed, and then kissed.

"Happy New Year, baby," AJ said.

"Happy New Year, AJ. I love you so much."

"And I you. Boy, I'm stuffed from that dinner you cooked."

"I'll bet, you ate like four helpings of it."

AJ shrugged. "I can't help that you're a great cook."

"Well, I ate quite a bit myself. That horrible bloated feeling. Listen, I'm going to go brush my teeth, would you mind taking these glasses and putting them in the sink, so I can wash them when I come out?"

"Don't worry about them. We can wash them in the morning. Let's just go to bed."

"Okay."

Heather headed for the bathroom to brush her teeth while AJ let the dog out. As he let him out a thought passed through his mind.

 _Heather said she was bloated and then she headed straight for the bathroom. She brushed her teeth right after dinner, and only had one glass of wine. Surely, she could wait until the morning to brush her teeth again? Unless... No. No. That was silly. Heather was better now. No way she would make herself sick again. Would she?_

Shaking his head, AJ let the dog back inside, and then went into the bedroom to change his clothes. As he was changing, he could hear a gagging sound coming from the bathroom. Not thinking twice, he bolted for the bathroom and ran inside, to find Heather... brushing her teeth. Heather spit the toothpaste into the sink, and then cleaned her brush and looked at AJ in astonishment.

"What's the matter?"

"I... I heard gagging, and..."

"Oh," Heather said, with a laugh. "I had too much toothpaste in my mouth and it made me gag. I'm all right now, though. No biggie."

"Uh-huh..."

Heather looked at AJ in concern.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah! I just... Um, when I... No, it's stupid. Forget it."

"No, what is it?"

"Well... you brushed your teeth right after dinner, and you only had one glass of wine. I figured you could wait to brush your teeth again in the morning is all."

"Well, I could still taste the garlic from the pasta, so I decided to brush them again. I'm surprised you couldn't taste it when we kissed."

"I don't have any on my breath, Heather."

"You probably brush better than I do."

"Maybe."

Heather arched an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips.

"AJ, what's going on?"

"All right, fine, I confess, I thought you were... throwing up again."

"What?! AJ, I worked hard to beat that disease. I am not about to make myself sick again."

"Heather, sweetie, you have to understand. A lot of people with that disease don't get over it that quickly, but somehow, you were able to. That's a miracle! But... I don't know."

"You trust me don't you, AJ?"

"Yes, of course I do."

"Good. But you have to understand that you're the reason I beat this thing that quickly. If it wasn't for you, I would probably be down to forty-five pounds, or worse, dead. You're my strength. I swear to you, and I will swear to it on a stack of bibles, that I am not about to do that to myself again. Okay?"

AJ nodded his head, and ran his hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry, Heather."

"It's okay, baby. Come here."

They embraced.

"I love you, Heather."

"I love you, too, AJ. Now come on. Let's go get some sleep."


	14. The First Fight

Heather was sad for it was time to return to work. It had been such a nice holiday season with AJ. One of the best of her life, actually. This man truly was a miracle. He was there for her at a time when she needed him most. How this incredible man fell in love with her remained a mystery. Sure, he told her that he loved her for her inner beauty as well as her outer beauty, but she still had low self-esteem sometimes about herself. Not as bad as before, no, for AJ was the antidote she needed. It would be awkward going back to work and facing Natalya again. She decided to go ahead and keep doing her hair and makeup. No, Heather didn't consider her a friend now, but she did accept her apology as well as her gift, and she was trying to turn over a new leaf, which was admirable, so she decided to continue doing her hair and makeup before shows.

AJ was packing up his things. He had to admit that this had been one of the happiest Christmases of his life. Heather sure made it extra special, and he was thankful for that. How Heather had such low self-esteem about herself was anybody's guess. She could be nine hundred pounds, or just twenty pounds, and she would still be beautiful! He still felt a little guilty, however, for New Year's Eve, when he thought she was making herself sick again. Sure, Heather reassured him and that was that. He still couldn't help worrying about her, however. Of course, that was only natural. Everybody worried about the ones they loved, that was human nature. Even though Heather was perfectly healthy again, it still made AJ worry whenever she would go to the bathroom, whether it be to just brush her teeth, or to pee. He ran his hand nervously through his hair. His bad nerves was starting to make his stomach hurt. He couldn't let Heather see that he was still worried that she would make herself sick again. It was one of those situations where you know it won't happen again, but you still worry about that tiny possibility that it could. Bulimia wasn't a disease that you get over just like that, but somehow, Heather had. But she had explained that he, AJ, was the reason for her quick recovery. He wanted to believe that. So badly, he wanted to.

He was brought out of his thoughts when Heather walked into the room. "Are you okay? You look like you're going to be sick."

AJ quickly snapped out of his thoughts.

"Oh. Yeah, I'm fine. Just spaced out there."

"What's on your mind?"

AJ shrugged.

"Just a little sad that the holiday season is over. It sure was a nice one."

Heather smiled and wrapped her arms around AJ's waiste, and lay her head on his back.

"Yes, it was. One of the best. But now we have a brand new year to look forward to."

"Indeed we do, doll."

AJ turned around and gave Heather a kiss on the lips and then leaned his forehead against hers.

"You were the highlight of my year."

"Ditto."

They kissed again.

"You ready to go?"

"Mm-hmm. I'm going to make a quick pit stop."

"Didn't you just go?"

"Yes, but I have a bladder the size of a walnut. You should know that by now, AJ," Heather said with a laugh. She walked to the bathroom and shut the door.

AJ couldn't resist. He walked towards the bathroom door and put his ear to it to see if he could hear any vomiting. Suddenly, the door opened and AJ lost his balance, falling to his knees.

"What are you doing?"

"I, um- I- I thought you had to pee."

"I do, but I need to get some tissues from my purse. There's no more toilet paper."

"Oh. There's some in the downstairs bathroom."

"AJ, what's going on? Why were you listening at the door?"

AJ knew he was busted. There was no way he would be able to talk his way out of this, so decided to just confess.

"All right, fine. Heather, I'm still worried about you. I know you told me that you were better now, but I can't help but still worry."

Heather was mad now.

"AJ, I have never lied a day in my life and am not about to start now. I told you I am better, and I am! How can you not trust me?"

"I do! I do trust you. It's just- Heather, when someone you love has been through something awful, even if they recover, it's still hard not to worry."

"I understand that, AJ, but you need to understand that I am not going to lie."

Suddenly, AJ thought of something. Heather had lied.

"Wait just a minute, Heather. When you were sick, you were lying! To me, to everybody! When we went out for pizza on our first date, you went to the restroom to throw it up. That night I cooked steaks for us, you threw it up. You lied about all the times you made yourself sick!"

"Yes, you're right, and I'm sorry about that, but besides that, I haven't lied. I don't intend to. Not anymore. Remember two nights ago, when I weighed 125? I weighed myself again this morning, and it said 126. Does that sound like someone who's making herself sick?"

There was a pause. An uncomfortable pause.

"Heather, you lied about being sick before. You're probably not lying now, but what if in the future-"

"AJ, I am not going to do that again! What more do I have to say to convince you?"

"I just- I don't know."

Heather walked over and picked up her suitcase.

"What are you doing?"

"I am going to call a taxi and get a ride to the airport myself. I mean, do you really want to travel with a liar?"

"Heather, come on. Don't be ridiculous. You did lie before!"

"Yes, I did! I apologized for it, too! I'm not going to do it again! I swear to God! I swear on the holy Bible! I swear on all thirty-three Wrestlemania's, it's never going to happen again!"

Heather was crying now. Immediately, AJ felt guilty. He pulled her into his arms.

"I'm sorry, honey. I'm sorry."

"I know. It's okay."

"No. No, it's not. Things have been going so good lately, that I just had to screw it up by accusing you unfairly."

"Well, I did lie before. I swear to you, though-"

"I know, I know. You're sorry and it will never happen again. I'm sorry for not trusting you. I do now, though. Okay?"

"Okay," Heather said with a nod. AJ smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Still wanna travel with me, baby?"

Heather gave a laugh. "Always."


	15. Valentine's Day Surprises

NOTE: Well, here's the last chapter, everybody! I hope you all enjoyed this story! Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, etc. It really means a lot. Expect more AJ Styles stories in the future! :)

Everyone was thrilled to have Heather back. The past few weeks had been wonderful! AJ no longer was worried about Heather making herself sick again. He felt guilty for not trusting her, but he just couldn't help but worry. Heather understood his concern, though, and all was good. Valentine's Day was coming up. Heather went out on the Tuesday of SmackDown! It was the night before Valentine's Day, and she knew she probably should have gotten AJ's gift sooner but when it came to shopping sometimes, she wasn't very punctual. Heather honestly didn't care if AJ remembered Valentine's Day or not, the only one's that would upset her would be if he ever forgot her birthday or Christmas or if they ever got married, their anniversary. She got him a total of three items. A brand new wrist watch, a small box of chocolates, and a card. She would give them to him tonight after the show when they got back to the hotel instead of waiting for in the morning because she was too excited. She loved giving gifts.

Since Charlotte and Becky were her best friends, she even got them a little something. They each got their own box of chocolates and a little teddy bear. They appreciated the gifts but felt guilty for they didn't get her anything. At this, Heather just laughed. She could care less.

Once SmackDown! was over, and AJ was cleaned up and back in regular clothes, they went back to their hotel. On the elevator, AJ leaned forward and started to nuzzle Heather's neck, causing her to giggle.

"Not here, sweetie."

"I just love you so much."

"Oh, AJ, I love you, too, but can't this wait? We're on our floor."

The doors opened and there was a group of people standing and waiting. AJ quickly moved away and cleared his throat.

"She had something sticky on her neck. I was just, um... getting it off."

With that, he took her hand and they left the elevator both trying hard to suppress their laughter.

Once they made it to their door, AJ stopped her.

"Okay, the room is a bit of a mess. I told Dolph he could use the room for a bit."

Before Heather could ask why, AJ unlocked the door. The light was turned on and Heather gasped at what she saw. There were a bunch of red rose petals scattered all over the floor. There was a large thing of long stemmed roses sitting in a vase on a table, along with a giant teddy bear, a card, and a big box of chocolates.

"Oh, AJ. When did you do this?"

"When I sent you to the arena ahead of me. That's why I took a while getting there. I wasn't really on the can."

Heather laughed at this.

"Oh, AJ, it's so beautiful!"

"I'm glad you like it, babe."

"I do! Oh, and I have some things for you in my bag."

Heather went over to her bag and took out the items for AJ.

"Granted, these aren't as beautiful as what you've done, or-"

"Hey, whatever you get me is enough. Just you is plenty."

AJ loved the watch, and the card, and said he would definitely be munching on the candy later. He pulled Heather into a long and firm kiss.

"I have another surprise for you, my valentine."

"Oh, AJ- this is plenty!"

"Open your box of chocolates."

Nodding, Heather went over to the box of chocolates and opened it. It was just chocolates.

"You see that one on the side that is square shaped and really dark? Look under it."

Heather took out the chocolate and found a ring. It was beautiful! It was silver in the shape of a rose.

"Heather, will you marry me?"

"Oh, AJ! Yes, of course! I will!"

AJ took the ring and slid it on Heather's ring finger. He then kissed her finger.

"I love you so much, Heather."

"I love you so much, AJ. More than you could ever possibly know."

"Promise me you'll always be by my side."

"I promise. Now you promise me the same thing."

"I promise."

They kissed, and they both fell asleep in each other's arms, both happier than they had been in a long time.

THE END


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